The present invention relates to a lithograph for producing digital holograms in a storage medium. In particular, the lithograph has a light source for producing a write beam, drive means for the two-dimensional movement of the write beam relative to the storage medium and a first objective for focusing the write beam onto the storage medium to be written. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of producing digital holograms in a storage medium.
Digital holograms are two-dimensional holograms which consist of individual points with different optical properties and from which, when illuminated with a coherent electromagnetic wave, in particular a light wave, images and/or data are reproduced by means of diffraction in transmission or reflection. The different optical properties of the individual points can be reflective material properties, for example as a result of surface topography, varying optical path lengths in the material of the storage medium (refractive indices) or color values of the material.
The optical properties of the individual points are calculated by a computer, and this thus involves what are known as computer-generated holograms (CGH). With the aid of the focused write beam, during the writing of the hologram the individual points of the hologram are written into the material, the focus being located in the region of the surface or in the material of the storage medium. In the region of the focus, focusing has the effect of a small area of action on the material of the storage medium, so that a large number of points of the hologram can be written on a small area. The optical property of the respectively written point in this case depends on the intensity of the write beam. For this purpose, the write beam is scanned in two dimensions over the surface of the storage medium with varying intensity. The modulation of the intensity of the write beam is in this case carried out either via internal modulation of the light source, for example a laser diode, or via external modulation of a write beam outside the light source, for example with the aid of optoelectronic elements. Furthermore, the light source can be formed as a pulsed laser whose pulse lengths can be controlled, so that control of the intensity of the write beam can be carried out by the pulse lengths.
As a result of the scanning of the intensity-modulated write beam, an area with an irregular point distribution is thus produced, the digital hologram. This can be used to identify and individualize any desired objects.
Scanning lithographic systems are intrinsically widespread. For example, scanning optical systems are incorporated in conventional laser printers. However, these systems cannot be used for the production of holograms, since the requirements for this intended application differ considerably from those in laser printers. In the case of good printing systems, the resolution is around 2500 dpi while, in the production of holograms, a resolution of about 25 000 dpi is required. In addition, in digital holography, only comparatively small areas are written. These are, for example, 1 to 5 mm2, other sizes also being possible. The accuracy of the write pattern in the case of a lithograph for the production of digital holograms of, for example, 1000×1000 points on an area of 1×1 mm2 must be about ±0.1 μm in both orthogonal directions. Furthermore, the writing speed should be about 1 Mpixel/s, in order that in each case a hologram can be written in a time of about 1 s. The aforementioned magnitudes are exemplary and do not constitute any restriction of the invention.
Digital holograms can be produced by means of conventional scanning methods, with which the angle of the incident beam is varied by stationary optics. For example, scanning mirror lithographs with galvanometer and/or polygonal scanners operate on this principle.
In all the scanning methods known hitherto, one disadvantage is that no control of the accurate positioning of the write beam is possible which is capable of maintaining a predefined point pattern of the digital hologram at the writing speeds to be achieved.